Cagliari The Capital City

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1 SARDINIA 2016

2 Hotel Califfo Hotel Califfois situated in a quiet panoramic position overlooking the Gulf of Cagliari and also within easy reach of Southern Sardinia s main facilities. The hotel is just 9km from Cagliari city centreand is located near the wonderful Poettobeach. We offer a free regular shuttle bus service from May till September for reaching the other beaches only 1.5km far away. Regular buses run from QuartuSant Elena to the centreof Cagliari all year round. The bus stop is situated right in front of our hotel and buses stop there every 20 minutes. The hotel has a swimming pool, tennis courts, soccer pitch and a mini-golf course. It also offers ample car parking with facilities for buses and gardens with palms,olive trees and oleanders. 05/09/2015

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4 Cagliari The Capital City Cagliari is the most important city in Sardinia, with a metropolitan area that s home to about half a million inhabitants. Over the centuries the various settlers of Cagliari have instilled a welcoming attitude toward s visitors. Founded in the Neolithic Age, Cagliari developed into a real city. Its Phoenician and Punic dominators took advantage of Cagliari s central position in the Mediterranean sea, turning the city into a bustling trading port. After the First Punic War Cagliari came under Roman rule. A period of decline followed under the Vandal people, lasting up to the Byzantine Empire, which saw the birth of Giudicati(9 th and 10 th centuries AD). This form of self-government, lead by the King independently of the control of the Empire and the Church, granted the island relative political independence and autonomy. The 13 th century saw the arrival of the Pisans, who fortified the upper part of the town with a complex system of ramparts, buttresses, forts and towers. Less than a century later, in 1324 rule passed to the Aragonese, who se political union with the Catalansgave rise to the Spanish Government, an administration that caused much resentment among the people. A major change occurred in 1717, with the treaty of Utrecht, after the Spanish War of Succession. A short weak attempt by the Austrians at ruling over Cagliari and Sardinia was followed by the House of Savoy taking the Sardinian throne. With the Piedmont administration, Cagliari embarked on an era of urban development and renewal that gradually modified the status of the city from "fortified stronghold" to a modern planning layout, involving many useful public works. Today Cagliari is a complex city with a important heritage and a modern feel, coherent with a capital city that over time developed in harmony with the surrounding area, becoming a pivotal part of it. The fortified city centrestood in an area known today as Marina, located near the sacred area in what is now Stampace, sandwiched between the two port districts of Sant'Avendrace and Bonaria. If you love opera or classical music, Cagliari Opera House boasts a concert season ranking among the best in Italy. For visitors seeking different kinds of entertainment we suggest: Cagliari by night: enjoy pubs, restaurantsand music cafés deep into the night. The Marina district (facing the harbour) is full of Sardinian restaurants where you can taste typical Sard cooking. 05/09/2015

5 Cagliari The Capital City

6 The Bastionesituated above the boundaries of Il Castello offers superb views with two coffee bars providing continuous entertainment. In summertime don t miss out on visiting the bars in the Poettobeach, where different groups plays all kinds of music every night. Cagliari is lively and laid-back at the same time. Get into its rhythm and you won't regret it. The city is on a human scale. Look closely and you ll keep seeing something new because every stone and every building hides a secret it s all waiting to be discovered. QUARTU SANT'ELENA QuartuSant Elenais one of the biggest municipalities in Sardinia. It stretches from the mountains down to the sea and its natural landscape is highly varied. Along 26 km of coastline you ll find beaches with fine, white sand (Poettoand Capitana) changing to rocky, rugged terrain (Terra Mala, Is Mortorius, Cala Regina). On the mountain sides the panorama changes radically. The slopes of the Sette Fratelli mountains are covered in woods, providing a natural habitat for royal eagles, deer, wild boar and kestrels. The Sette Fratelli mountains are a thick granite massif where time and the wind have created real sculptures out of unusual rocks. The tallest peak, Punta Serpeddì, reaches 1069 meters. Molentargius lagoon, in the western outskirts of the city, is one of the most important wetlands areas in Europe. This area in fact hosts an exceptionally rich and varied bird species. Beautiful flamingos have chosen to live and reproduce in this paradise. In the coastal area there are different areas of cultural interest, for instance: Nuraghes: NuragheJana at the site called Is Mortorius is a fortress of great historical interest which dominates the promontory. It consists of three towers united by a central tower (trilobate). There is a sacred well in close proximity and at the foot of the promontory, two watch towers. The most recent studies suggest that that was a real equipped Nuragicport offering the possibility for ships to land with different winds. The Nuragiccomplex was used for defencepurposes during the Second World War, showing the suitability of the location for the strategic aims of the Shardana people years before Christ. Nearby are the NuragicVillage of Mari Pintauand a long chain of Nuraghesin dominant hilltop positions. The presence of a large number of Nuraghesalong the coast confirms the most up-to-date thesis described in the recent essay "The Pillars of Hercules" by Sergio Frau. Coastal towers: the entire coast between Cagliari and Villasimius has towers on every promontory on the sea and in all the possible landing points. These are part of a Catalan-Aragonese defencesystem dating back to the second half of 1500 probably created on a previous defencesystem from the Giudicatiera. Such military constructions had been built to better withstand attempts at invasion and the Arab raiders who attacked Sardinia continuously from 1000 to The towers offered mutual visual contact and allowed alarms signals to be sent immediately alerting to the sighting of hostile boats, giving the Sardinian army time to ready themselves. 05/09/2015

7 for quick intervention in the landing areas. It certainly proved an effective system since it allowed Sardinia to withstand the Arab invasion that plagued the Mediterranean islands. An interesting historical detail is that a lot of Aragonese Towers were built on the remains of existing Nuragic towers. 05/09/2015

8 PoettoBeach Poettobeach is about 9 km long, running from Sella del Diavolo toquartuseashore. Originally known for salt extraction, only at the beginning of 20 th Century did people begin to go sunbathing and swimming there. It didn't take long for them to fall in love with the crystal clear blue sea and sandy beach which is still a favouriteof Cagliari's inhabitants. The name Poetto dates back to the Spanish Governors of Sardinia, whose domination lasted from the 15th century until the beginning of 18th century. It probably originally comes from the Catalan Pohuet, or well, due to the presence of several wells on the Sella del Diavolopromontory. The name may also come from the Spanish Puerto, referring to the safe port in the bay. The beach is always buzzing by day and by night. All along the sea shore there are many beach clubs, where you can hire beach umbrellas and deckchairs. The bars often put on live music while you enjoy a drink, most of all in the evenings. 05/09/2015

9 PoettoBeach

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11 Quartu ssports Centre